by SpinnerMan » Fri Feb 02, 2018 9:32 am
There are many strains of flu and they can only put a few of them in a vaccine AND the decision on which ones has to be made very far in advance so they can produce the quantities needed.
For the strains they pick, it is very effective. For the ones they do not, if they are similar it may have some benefits. For those that are different, they do nothing.
The dominant strains this year were not the ones they picked.
It's like trying to pick a few days to duck hunt next season today. Some years you nail it and some years you don't. But you will never hit it every year. And in the case of the flu vaccine, it is not even possible to be near 100% effective. Even 10% saves a lot of lives, but 60% would save a hell of a lor more. Not just those vaccinated, but those that did not get it because they did not catch it from someone who was.